Winn's Musical Journey: My Top 10 Albums of 2010

1. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy- Kanye West

Mr. West's latest album is unlike anything in Hip-Hop. In fact it is unlike anything in modern pop music. Contained in this star-studded, epic orchestration are catchy hooks (You will be humming "Gorgeous" for days

after you hear it) and sly one-liners ("Hood phenomenon/The LeBron of rhyme/hard to be humble when you stuntin' on the jumbotron"). But there is also a statement for those who give the album a full listen through. There is not a single hint of Kanye's previous four albums to be found anywhere in My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Unlike most rappers of his generation that find a niche and stick firmly to it. (i.e. Kanye's protege Kid Cudi whose lonely stoner woe-is me lyrics are beginning to get tired and strained as he begins to cope with the un-relatable realities of stardom). Kanye is constantly moving forward in both his music and his lyrics, (there is no mention of the well publicized Taylor Swift incident that brought him so much infamy). There is no doubt Kanye West is entirely self-absorbed but instead of seeing that as a downside he basks in it using the lyrics of his first single "Runaway" (a song which remind us all that Kanye should just stick to rapping and stop singing) to "Have a toast for the douchebags" and so now toast

we do. He may not be the most likable figure in music but his content is unequaled. So even if you are not a Hip-Hop fan give this album a listen and forget, be sure

to keep your eyes firmly fixed on what many critics believe to be the future of popular music.

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg5wkZ-dJXA

2. Love and Its Opposites -Tracey Thorn

NPR critic Ken Tucker named this the best album of 2010 stating that Mrs. Thorn's

storytelling is akin to the singer-songwriter era of the 1970s and after listening to the track of the same name you can see

why it is so easy to see the comparison (Listen to the link below). While not necessarily auto-biographical (Wikipedia tells me she is happily married) it paints a perfect portrait of marital disfunction and the people that are affected by it. In three minutes her subjects are more developed than

many characters in three-hour movies. Combined with rainy-day electro pop her beautiful longing voice brings breathes life into her characters and gives the listener a glimpse at what would seem an other wise secluded world.

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aGcocZgjkg

3. Treats- Sleigh Bells

"Loud, in your face party metal plus euphoric female vocals equals an amazing, surprisingly approachable album" writes

Bryan Herren in his own Top Ten of 2010 list. I couldn't have put it better myself. From the opening guitar riffs of "Infinity Guitars"

to the scream at the 1:00 mark of "Kids" there is a party going down in the gym and everybody is invited to this grown-up pep rally led by the mean -girl head cheerleader and the rebel rocker with a sweet guitar. The music is genre-defying and the duo of Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller unlikely, but it is within the aptly

named Treats that we find just that. A little something from pop, a little something from metal and a little something from hip-hop untied. Leaving their peers scratching their heads and ushering in a new age in Alternative music.

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fheYx_ZPU18

4. So Runs The World Away - Josh Ritter

In an album that was shockingly left off of many year end lists we find Mr. Ritter at his storytelling peak.

In an interview on NPR he confessed that he was having constant nightmares of being degraded to"singing

medleys" one day. So he wanted to write a new album (his first in over 2 years) to keep his songs from going stale stating that "in order to perform songs some five or ten years old those songs have to be infused with the life of what your working on currently." Having been to two Ritter concerts since this albums release I can agree with this statement whole heartedly as Ritter's concerts were filled with a combination of old favorites and new renditions that made for an exciting and enchanting experience. Later in the interview Ritter also stated on the interview that on this album that he wanted to "build little

dollhouses and burn them all down". Constructing these beautiful stories and settings the album contain stories of mummies, murders and misguided explorers who all meet their demise as the songs winds to a close. So for those that left So Runs The World Away off your year-end list shame on you! And for those that have yet to experience the joys of Josh Ritter feel free to click the link below and let your journey begin.

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQyXBTJ7IWE

5. Ten- Jason Moran

The

leader of the next generation of Jazz delivers life into what many my age would consider a dead music genere. In Jason

Moran's hands though Jazz is anything but dead. As he leaps and bounds across the piano you find it hard to keep still, you

find yourself tapping along as Moran combines Jazz with Rock, Hip-Hop and Soul in this whirlwind of an album. Ten is a

progress repot of the past decade as seen in his latest installment of the "Gangsterism" saga

with his new song "Gangsterism Over Ten Years" which is meant to imitate hip-hop's speech rhythms and catchy instrumental hooks. For those that follow contemporary Jazz music it is good to see how far he has come in the past ten years but he hasn't done it alone. His backing band The Bandwagon is with him every step of the way providing structure to Moran's otherwise sporadic ventures and

allowing the music to develop. Even if it is taken one decade at a time.

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdBZ5bLRtgw

6. B.o.B Presents

: The Adventures of Bobby Ray -

B.o.B

2010 was without a doubt the year of B.o.B. He seemed

to be everywhere this year. From my sister singing the chorus to his

chart-topping "Airplanes" around the house to hearing "Magic" on Adidas commercials and at Jordan-Hare to laughing as my roomate stuttered out "Nut/Nut/Nut/Nuthin on you Babe" anytime my shuffle landed on "Nothing On You" featuring another former unknown who had a monster year in 2010 (Bruno Mars). But this album is more than his three billboard hits. Still (somewhat) undiscovered in this incredible album are songs like "Fame" and "Don't Let Me Fall" which could easily shoot up the charts given the right media exposure. But even without the media hullabaloo it's hard to ignore this immensely talented Atlanta artist whose appeal can be found in both energy and dedication. Before 2010, B.o.B was almost entirely unknown. So after years of disappointment it is good to see someone who has worked so hard have the year that he had. Reminding us all that it takes more than just wishing on shooting stars to achieve your dreams.

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkKG33-XtpA

7. Sigh No More - Mumford & Sons

Freak folk is back and your mom and your little sister like it this time around too. It's hard not to gush when talking about Mumford & Sons. From Marcus Mumford's hypnotic vocal hooks to Winston Marshall's furious banjo strumming each track is a still frame of themes ranging from redemption, fraternity and love's ability to set you free and "make you the man you were meant to be". The best kept secret of 2010 is out of the box now and everyone and their grandmother has heard of Mumford & Sons but that doesn't make it any less potent when you hear it. So whether you are listening to it for the first time or the thousandth time the feeling is still the same, a epic progression through the entire spectrum of human emotions and capabilities set to a convivial soundtrack.

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KCg_QEHtkY

8. Brothers - The Black Keys

In without a doubt one of the best music videos of the year (see the link below) what starts out as a simple fight between the band members two sons over a girl ends up in a knock-down drag out brawl between the two band members with the rocking beat of "Tighten Up" as the soundtrack. This pop-soul stroll is the highlight of the album as lead singer Dan Auerbach's gravely warble mixes with a earworm of a guitar riff that will leave you playing it over and over again on your iPod for days to come. However the fun doesn't stop there, the album is chock full of gritty soulful music in the vein of generations of Delta Blues players (see "Howlin For You & Next Girl"). So put away your Leadbelly and Taj Mahal and welcome in the next generation of bluesman, fighting over a girl on the playground.

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpaPBCBjSVc

9. El Turista - Josh Rouse

The Indie king of relaxation struck again in 2010. While this album is not even his best (that distinction belongs to the 2003 hidden gem 1972) it is without a doubt the one to kick back to. El Turista finds the world traveling Rouse finally at home in Spain. No longer having to go back and forth between his vacation world of Spain and his musical job reality in Nashville. It is

in this album we find Rouse stretching out his toes and truly relaxing. However just

because he is relaxing doesn't mean that the music has fallen off by any means. In fact we find that for the laid-back Rouse that the muse of the Old World may have been just the thing he was looking for. In one of the key tracks of the album "Valencia" we find Rouse singing entirely in Spanish and sounding completely at ease and having a wonderful time and as a listener you find your own troubles melting away as well as even in the cold of December you can feel that warm summer sun that Rouse is singing about.

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYKlM8xMnVM&NR=1

10. Steel Train- Steel Train

Currently the opening act for Fun (formerly the Format), this New Jersey based rock group is well known for their intense and riveting live shows that have electrified crowds throughout the tour (I was fortunate enough to see them in Atlanta). Here in this self-titled album you can find the same raw emotion and passion as a live rock show. (Which is why I chose as their W&L a live performance on Letterman) It's all here from the youthful roar at the opening of "Bullet" to lead singer Jack Antonoff's scream at the end of the chorus of "Touch Me Bad". It is Antonoff that really brings the band together, gifted with exceptional vocal talents, he is one of the best singers of his genre and he uses it to his advantage especially on "Touch Me Bad" in which he rallies, pleads, and promises undying affection to the girl he knows is no good for him. While still a relatively unknown band, if they continue to play with this infectious intensity it won't be long before they are headlining tours of their own.

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0N-LmjbajM

Left Out But Not Forgotten:

How I Got Over - The Roots, Volume 2 - She & Him, Contra- Vampire Weekend, The Suburbs- Arcade Fire, Wake Up - John Legend & The Roots, The Pursuit - Jamie Cullum

Single of the Year: "F***k You" - Cee-Lo Green

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc0mxOXbWIU

Mixtape of the Year: The Swelly Express - Chiddy Bang

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McRgkE_vgjU

5 Albums to Look Out In 2011:

1)Onyx - Amy Kuney

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyVUJsJgkJs

2) Gutter Rainbows - Talib Kweli

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRwcgLzlJw8

3) Lasers - Lupe Fiasco

Watch & Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmp6zIr5y4U

4) Finally Famous: The Album - Big Sean